2 Corinthians 12:2
I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, ( whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven. I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, ( whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven.
Paul was caught up to the third heaven, which is Paradise, the New Jerusalem where God's temple is, far above the starry heavens and the earth's atmosphere. It happened early in his Christian life, more than fourteen years before he wrote, when in holy vision he was made wholly unaware of his surroundings so that he could not tell whether he was in the body or out of the body. There he was shown the brightness and splendor of the celestial world and the eternal treasures of the Christian's hope, with mysteries hidden for ages revealed to him as far as he could bear. He saw and heard things too sacred to speak and not permitted to be revealed, which no words could fitly portray and his hearers could not have comprehended. The honor did not make him boastful but kept him humble and pressing onward, and God gave it to prepare him for his extensive missionary work, especially to the Gentiles, molding his writings with a heavenly character.
The Heaven Paul Saw
The third heaven is Paradise, the New Jerusalem where God's temple stands. The word heaven is also used for other places — the region of the sun, moon and stars, the earth's atmosphere, and the church of God on earth — but the heaven Paul was taken to in vision is distinct from all of these. He was caught up there in a holy vision and shown glorious scenes and revelations of divine glory that he was not permitted to reveal, make known, or disclose. In that catching up he was wholly unaware of everything around him, lost to his surroundings, so that he could not tell whether he was in the body or out of the body. When a person is in that state, God can communicate through His angels without danger of mistake, which stands apart from religious exercises mixed with a person's former opinions and knowledge, in which full confidence cannot be placed.
The catching up happened early in Paul's Christian experience, more than fourteen years before he wrote of it, when he received special insight into God's will for the followers of Jesus. It belongs with the commission he received from God while praying in the temple, when his broad missionary field was presented before him with remarkable distinctness. God by it brought him into close connection and close fellowship with Himself and opened before his enraptured vision a glimpse of the beauty and glory of heaven. That glimpse was given to prepare him for his extensive and important work, his wide missionary work and extensive mission especially to the Gentiles.
What Was Shown and Withheld
Paul was given visions of the glory of heaven, taken to the third heaven and given a view of celestial things. There he was shown glorious scenes of the celestial world, the brightness of the celestial world and the splendor and joy of the Christian's hope, eternal scenes and the heavenly courts. Christ withdrew the curtain of heaven and brought the eternal world with its treasures and living glories within range of the mind's eye, yet even that revelation leaves a man able to grasp only a notion of the infinite, eternal weight of glory. When he returned to consciousness of earthly things he kept the wonderful picture of what he had seen glowing in his soul where it made his heart glow within him.
There mysteries hidden for ages were revealed to him, as much of the workings of God and of God's dealings with human minds as he could bear. What was made known included God's knowledge before the creation of the world of future events, the plan to be carried out upon the defection of the high intelligences of heaven, and the offering prepared in the eternal purposes for fallen humanity. There the Lord told him to preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, that light was to be given to the Gentiles, which is the mystery hidden for ages.
He saw and heard things it is not lawful for man to utter, too sacred to speak, which he was not permitted to make known, reveal, or disclose. He received revelations of divine glory in holy vision that he was not permitted to disclose.
He found it impossible to describe the enrapturing scenes that had passed before him in words that could only feebly portray them. He told only a very small part, not a hundredth or a thousandth part, of what was revealed to him, because it was too much for him to tell. He could not tell what he had seen because those who heard would have misapplied the great truths presented and would not have been able to comprehend them.
Though Paul did not tell what he had seen in vision and spoke little of these visions, all that was shown him molded the messages he bore to the churches. Because of that vision all his writings, letters, admonitions and appeals have a heavenly character, and the sure word of prophecy is brought into all his instruction. His teaching contains precious lessons of warning and encouragement, and he wrote with a power that was not of man but of God. The impression was ever with him and never lost its force upon his mind, enabling him to give a correct representation of the Christian life and character and of the obligation due from man to God and influencing his estimation and delineation of Christian character.
How the Vision Shaped Him
The honor of being caught up to the third heaven and hearing things that could not be uttered did not make Paul boastful or self-confident and did not lead him to pride or self-exaltation. Instead he spoke of himself as less than the least of all saints and remained humble about his progress in the Christian life. The experience underscored for him the need for constant watchfulness and self-denial, and showed that spiritual honor should lead to humility rather than self-exaltation. The extraordinary vision did not mean that he had already attained perfection or that he considered himself perfect. He made no boast of his spiritual attainments but continued to press onward and strive toward the prize of God's calling in Christ. His example shows that sanctification is a lifelong work involving conflict with evil and victories along the way.
After this great honor an affliction was sent to buffet him, and his eyes were afflicted even though he had looked upon Christ. Great blessings or revelations of God's presence and love may come before a great trial, and may be followed by severe trial. That great privilege, together with his knowledge, his eloquence, and his miracles, would all prove unavailing, a defeat and a dishonor, if he failed in his work. His hope of heaven grew dim when he contemplated any such failure toward the church for whom he labored. The failure feared was that the church should prove inefficient and unfaithful, failing to receive God's grace and receiving the mold of the human instead of the divine.
Though Paul did not tell what he had seen in vision, all that was shown him molded the messages he bore to the churches. His teaching contains precious lessons of warning and encouragement that should be studied by all. Heaven is a grand place with prepared blessings for God's people, and Paul told only a very small part, not a hundredth or thousandth part, of what was revealed to him because it was too much to tell. The greatness of what he saw should wake people up to want heaven and to seek a home there at the cost of everything here, and to work for the conversion of souls. In contrast to lofty language about the third heaven, communication to people living in a sorrowful, sinful world should meet them where they are, in clear, heartfelt words they can understand.